Wednesday, July 18th, 1860. Bro’s. Hooper and Eldredge having started yesterday and expecting I would start to-day and overtake them; but one of President Young’s mules, which Bro. Andrew J. Moffitt was going to work home, was gone and I did not wish to start without him, so I spent the day until about 4 p.m. in settling, arranging my affairs &^c. The cattle for Bro. Budge’s company were divided today, Bro. Woolley kindly taking charge of the business to give me time to fix. We loaded the carriage and Bro. James Lamb, who was going with me as teamster, took it around to the camp of Bros. J. W. Young and D. Savage, while I went out to Bro. Budge’s camp and stopped with Bro. Williams.

Thursday. Settled with the company and held meeting and gave such instructions as the Spirit dictated. The people felt well. I impressed upon the officers the necessity of making good time and being energetic in their movements, which they promised they would. The brethren came up with the carriage; but Bro. Moffitt <not> having found one of the President’s mules that were in his charge and which he intended working home, he concluded he would wait and search for it and follow us up, I promising to wait at Fremont, 35 miles from Florence, for him to come up. The company gave me three cheers as we left, Bro. Lamb and myself going alone. We had four mules on our wagon, two of them mine and two loaned to me for the trip by Bro. Savage. The flies were very thick after leaving the <Elk> Horn and our animals suffered. Camped at Fremont. Remained next day waiting for Bro. Moffitt. He arrived about six p.m. with both mules. We started and traveled that evening 15 miles and camped at North Bend of Platte.

Saturday, July 21/60. Started about 8 A.M. Nooned at a bend of the Platte. Camped <for the night> on the Looking Glass Creek in company with Bros. Sharp, <J.H> Johnson & others. day’s travel about 42 miles.

Sunday, Started early, breakfasted at Genoa, eight miles from our previous night’s camp. Had a mule shod and crossed the ferry. Bros. Hooper & Eldredge were about 22 hours ahead of us. Yesterday we passed Capt. A. D. Haight’s train at Cleveland in camp. – Sixteen miles from the ferry across to the Platte, where we stopped two hours with Bro. John Y. Green who is in charge of Hooper & Eldredge’s mule train. Bro. Calkin is in the company. Took tea with Bro. Green. Traveled till a little after sundown and camped at the Lone tree Marmoy’s station. Day’s travel 40 miles.

Monday. Started early. Breakfasted after starting, turning out our mules. Nooned on Wood River. Reached J. E. Johnson’s about sundown on Wood River and found Bros. Hooper & Eldredge waiting for me. We all rejoiced. Their patience was almost exhausted. Days travel 45 miles.

Tuesday, July 24th Started about 9 a.m. traveled 23 miles and stopped for dinner, while here two of the brethren’s mules ran back, Bro. Eldredge followed them on horseback and Bro. Moffitt followed him with the carriage; they caught them 15 miles back. Started about 6 p.m. passed the Hand Cart company under Capt Oscar O. Stoddard. They were getting along very well and felt in fine spirits. They had been celebrating the day. They were about 200 or 210 miles out. Camped without water. Day’s travel 31 miles.

Wednesday, July 25/60. Started early[.] Traveled 14 miles and breakfasted on Elm Creek. Nooned on Buffalo Creek. Missed the old pioneer road which we intended to take. Watered in the evening at the Platte and then drove to a place where we hoped to be free from musquoties. They were very thick, as they have been ever since we started; by raising a smoke we drove them off.

Thursday. Rained after starting. Breakfasted on the Platte. Stopped at Cold Spring and then started and crossed Carrion Creek and camped a few miles from it on the bottom. It rained hard in the night. Musquitoes were very thick.

Friday, July 27th/60. Heavy road part of the day. Crossed North Bluff fork, and passed over sand ridge. Camped in the afternoon with Brigham H. Young’s company and close to Capt. John Taylor of Iowa City’s company; both had 24 wagons in their company. We concluded to stop the night with them. This day’s drive was a short one. In Brigham’s company there had been several sick with bilious fever but all were better. Neither company had lost any cattle, and they were making good time and were in excellent spirits. They were about 330 miles out.

Saturday. My mules went back a few miles in the night which made our start later. Crossed heavy sand ridges. Breakfasted on Small spring creek. Camped for night near Wolf Creek. Day’s travel about 38 miles.

Sunday, July 29th/60. Breakfasted at Castle Creek, about 14 miles from where we camped. Nooned on the Platte 18 miles from Castle Creek. Camped for the night. We passed a grave this afternoon on the head board of which was written the name of John Adey (a young man aged 27 years from Philadelphia) who shot himself <by accident> on the 8th of July and died on the 15th. I was much grieved to learn of so unfortunate an occurrence; he was a young man much esteemed by the officers of and members of the Philadelphia branch.

Monday, July 30th/60. Started early, were detained after starting by heating of Bro. Eldredge’s carriage axle. Crossed Cobble Hills, passed Ancient Bluffs Ruins and took dinner a little beyond Sand hills about 26 miles from place of starting. Traveled 14 ½ miles to opposite Chimney Rock, feed poor and kept on for about 6 miles and camped. Stormed as it has done for several days, mostly thunder & lightning.

Tuesday, Started early, breakfasted at Creek south of road four miles west of Scott’s Bluffs, about 18 miles from last night’s camp. Travelled about 13 miles and camped for dinner. Started again and watered at Creek and not finding feed, kept on and camped about 21 miles from where we dined, making day’s travel about 51 or 52 miles.